If you’re thinking of raising a lamb in your kitchen, reconsider. Sure they’re cute, and they follow you around like a puppy, but they’re kinda messy and they bah a lot. Really, come to think of it, how chic would it be to walk down the street with a little lamb following you?! Could that be the next big thing? Perhaps, but I digress.

This has certainly been a learning experience. And by Day 5, I think I’ve got the hang of it. Today, we (meaning baby Prince and I) visited the pasture to say hello to the other lambs, the llamas and anyone else who might be interested. It went well. So I count the days until he can officially join them outside. I guess I still have to research when that can happen. We’ll add it to the list of things to do.

If you’re interested in following baby Prince and his progress, follow us on our Facebook page. A new picture is posted every day!

It’s finally spring at Orchard House. One lamb has already arrived and there are more on the way. The chicks arrive next week. The gardens are being mulched and the planting season will soon be upon us. Boy, that makes it sound like we’re a real farm. Well, I guess we kinda are. I’ve dubbed this the year of “lavender” – plants everywhere! A mini-Tuscany! (They grow lavender there, right?)

I’ll admit, my favorite season is fall. Nothing beats the smell of October – and the envelopes with crisp bills inside them for my birthday. But spring comes in a close second. It’s finally time to toil in the garden, remove the trash piles that have developed over winter and expand on ideas that are as grand as Versailles. It also means we’ll try to rescue a few baby birds and fail. We’ll plant things that will invariably die, and mowing will commence at an alarming rate.

But not all the plants will die. There will be beautiful flowers. Many baby birds will grow up and lead productive lives. And we’ll be even closer to October.We’ll hire someone to mow the lawn and there will be air conditioning. Rumor at the local mill is that the weather will be worse than last year – more droughty then we’ve seen in years. And that means hot llamas, more watering of plants and extreme cuddling next to the air conditioning vent. We can also take bets to see if hay can possibly cost more than it does now – $9 a bale. P.S. Thanks for coming to Orchard House because you’re literally feeding the animals.

Oh, and there are a few more MAJOR things coming this summer. In the next few months in fact. But it’s too early to talk about them. I can report that our screened-in porch will be transitioning to a 3-season outdoor room. That’s gonna be amazing! We’ll be able to serve breakfast there – yes, on another gorgeous farm table. But this news pales in comparison to what’s to come…so stayed tuned and join us on some crazy adventures this coming year.